Tales of your City

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Timeline

Let’s be honest, following City can be a bit of a roller-coaster ride – read about all the highs, and the lows, of our glorious history.

2000s

2000 City return to the Premiership following back-to-back promotions. A 4-1 victory over Blackburn at Ewood Park to seal promotion is followed by a celebratory pitch invasion by the Blues’ enormous travelling support.

2002 Future manager Stuart Pearce captains City as they are promoted back to the Premiership, breaking club records for the most goals scored and most points gained in a season along the way.

2003 It’s an emotional farewell to Maine Road as City’s home for 80 years stages its last football match, City vs. Southampton on Sunday 11th May. The club make the move to the impressive, 48,000 capacity, City of Manchester Stadium.

2007 Sven Goran Eriksson replaces Stuart Pearce as manager, and on 15th December City establish a 'top flight' club-record of nine straight home League wins at the start of the season.

2008 The Abu Dhabi United Group become the new owners of Manchester City. Former Wales, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United star Mark Hughes becomes the new City Manager. The club break the British transfer record for the second time with the £32.5m signing of Robinho from Real Madrid.

2010 The Blues enjoy their best ever Premier League campaign, finishing 5th and qualifying for the Europa League in the process, as well as reaching the League Cup semi finals.

2011 The long wait for a trophy ends when the Blues beat Stoke 1-0 to lift the FA Cup, and they qualify for the 2011/12 Champions League for the first time too!

2012 City win the League Championship for the first time in 44 years following a thrilling Premier League campaign. A last-gasp Sergio Aguero goal against QPR secures the title in the most dramatic of fashions at a jubilant Etihad Stadium.

2014 Manuel Pellegrini's side clinch two trophies in one season for the first time since 1970, lifting the Capital One Cup and Premier League title. A 3-1 win over Sunderland at Wembley in March earns the Club's first League Cup win since 1976 before the Blues go on to win the League Championship by two points.

1990s

1992 The FA Premier League is formed, with City v QPR being the first ever live Monday night Sky game.

1994 City say farewell to the much loved Kippax Stand as legislation forces the closure of terracing at Premier League grounds. In its day the ‘Kippax’ was the largest standing area in the country.

1995/96 A dramatic season sees City appoint three different managers; Alan Ball, Steve Coppell and Frank Clark as well as significant spells as caretaker for Asa Hartford and Phil Neal.

1997 City unveil a new club badge. This new design features the Latin motto “Superbia in proelio” meaning ‘Pride in battle’.

1999 One of the most dramatic games ever played at Wembley sees City promoted after a penalty shoot-out against Gillingham in the Division Two Play-Off.

1980s

1981 City reach the 100th FA Cup final against Spurs. Following a 1-1 draw on the Saturday, a replay was played again at Wembley, regarded as one of the most entertaining Cup finals ever. City were narrowly defeated 3-2 following a famous Ricky Villa goal but for City fans, Steve Mackenzie’s 30 yard volley was the better strike.

1986 City play in the inaugural Full Members’ Cup final at Wembley before a crowd of 68,000.

1987 A club record 10-1 demolition of Huddersfield Town is recorded at Maine Road in 1987.

1989 City are promoted in dramatic style in the last game of the season at Bradford. The highest-ever Maine Road derby win is recorded with City thumping neighbours United 5-1.

1970s

1970 City complete a brilliant European and domestic cup double by winning the European Cup Winners Cup and the League Cup.

1972 The City badge is replaced with the red rose of Lancashire.

1974 City lose the League Cup final to Wovles.

1976 The Blues beat Newcastle United 2-1 at Wembley, with goals goals from Peter Barnes and a spectacular over-head kick from Dennis Tueart.

1979 The club break the transfer record, signing Steve Daley for £1,450,277. Within 2 years the Blues became the first side to sign three individual £1m+ players (Kevin Reeves & Trevor Francis were the other two).

1960s

1965 A new club badge is developed in 1965, based around the central part of the City of Manchester coat of arms.

1966 City are promoted as champions of Division Two, under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison.

1968 The Blues defeat Newcastle United on the final day of the season to clinch the League Championship for the second time.

1969 Manchester City beat Leicester City 1-0 at Wembley to win the FA Cup.

1950s

1955 City lose to Newcastle in the 1955 FA Cup Final at Wembley

1956 The Blues play their second successive FA Cup Final, this time beating Birmingham 3-1 to lift the trophy – their homecoming parade is the first outside transmission by Granada Television.

1958 The Munich AirDisaster devastates Manchester United’s first team squad and also kills several journalists including former City goalkeeper Frank Swift.

1945 to 1950

1947 City are promoted as Champions of Division Two.

1949 The MCFC Official Supporters Club is formed.

1939 to 1945 World War 2

A Wartime League is set up with City playing in the Northern division. Substantial damage to Old Trafford means United are forced to play their home games at Maine Road. However City would never allow United usage of the home team changing room when the two teams met!

1930s

1934 After losing the final last year, City beat Portsmouth 2-1 to lift the FA Cup.

1934 A record provincial crowd of 84,569 is recorded at Maine Road when the Blues entertain Stoke City.

1937 Manchester City win the League Championship for the first time.

1920s

1920 City’s Hyde Road ground becomes the first provincial football stadium to be visited by a reigning monarch.

1923 After Hyde Road is destroyed by fire, the club moves to the 85,000 capacity Maine Road.

1926 A topsy-turvy year for the Blues – manager-less City become first Manchester side to play at Wembley (FA Cup runners-up), record the highest Manchester derby victory (6-1 at Old Trafford) and suffer relegation in the same season.

1928 City promoted as Champions of Division Two – and are the Football League’s best-supported club.

1914 to 1918 World War 1

League football is suspended from 1915-1919, though regional Subsidiary tournaments are still in place with City taking part in the Lancashire division.

1875 - 1910

1880 St Mark’s Church forms a football team which would later evolve into MCFC.

1884 The first known ‘City shirt’ is created – in black, with a Maltese-style cross. Some say this is because of the club’s strong links with Freemasonry in the 1880s, others believe the white cross proves the link with St Mark’s was still strong.

1887 St Mark’s team evolves into Ardwick AFC and moves to Hyde Road.

1889 An explosion at the nearby Hyde Road coal mine results in the death of 23 miners – Ardwick and Newton Heath play a friendly match under floodlights in aid of the disaster fund.

1892 The second division of the English Football League is created, with Ardwick AFC as founder members.

1894 Ardwick AFC reforms as Manchester City Football Club, in a bid to represent the whole city.

1889 City finish champions of Division Two, becoming the first team to gain automatic promotion.

1904 The Blues beat Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup final at Crystal Palace, becoming the first Manchester side to win a major trophy.